As I take the Christmas decorations down each January, I leave some string lights up along with white and neutral pieces and simple trees. This helps ease the post-holiday gloom and encourages me to celebrate January, this cold but cozy time which can bring magical snows. Having decorations for the new year makes winter feel special. I recommend storing away the red or colorful in favor of whites and dark greens, which makes the pieces that remain feel different from holiday decor. Here are some tips for what to leave up after the holidays:
- String lights in living spaces
- Winter houses or a winter village
- White, green, or snowy trees
- Candles with snow-inspired scents
- Winter branches in vases
- A simple cedar wreath on the front door
- Neutral pillows and blankets
- Gold touches for the new year
- Snow globes
- Wintry items in vases or bowls
- A simple garland
- Cozy winter books or inspiring reads
These photos show how our home was decorated for the first week of the new year through Epiphany. I made one small change yesterday, which was to remove the taller winter tree in favor of a plant that was in the same space before, as the tree started to feel a little too Christmasy to me.
I feel now I have the perfect balance for the rest of January, and the clean, simple palette inspires me for a fresh, brand new year.
Do you decorate your home for winter, or might you start?
P.S. Making January lovelier, decorating a bookshelf for winter, and the first time I decorated our home for winter.
